Then We Found Each Other
by ColorsBlad
Summary: One fateful night, four people were separated to the ends of the earth with nothing more than an instinct. Desperate to follow that instinct, they travel to find the person they each lost, only to discover that they were under their very noses.
1. Chapter 1

**Then We Found Each Other**

1. The Day We Met

_A dark, bitter girl in the robes a miko in training watched the happy couple from a distance, shadowed by the trees around her. A silver haired boy was hugging a raven-haired girl, while they laughed in each other's arms, soaked in innocence and happiness. Another young girl with a small ponytail was running after a small monk in training, screaming in teasing anger. The miko-robed girl narrowed her eyes in jealously, and turned venomous glares at the raven-haired girl, burning with hatred. She willed herself not to scream. A wave of sadness washed over her for a second. She was lost in the thought of him forgetting her, and all the time they'd spent together. She had done everything she could for him, and wanted him to do the same for her, but he had dropped her the first chance he got, chasing after the _other_ girl. Her fists clenched as she seethed in pure hatred. _

_No one noticed, no one _cared _as she slipped into the dark forest, meeting a bamboo pelt. As they talked, the miko robed girl's mouth curled up in a dark smirk, her eyes full of vengeance. Little did those two happy children know that their lives were going to be very hard, very, very hard and very, very sad._

Kagome hummed as she walked through the tranquil forest. It really was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, a few billowy clouds graced the blue sky. Even the trees seemed to be dancing as they swayed in rhythm to the wind. _Big deal. _Kagome thought. _The sun shines everyday. The clouds will bring rain soon anyway. The trees are going to scratch me, I just know it. _Kagome turned around suddenly and yelled, "And you stupid birds are giving me a headache, so SHUT UP!"

In a fury of screeching and squawking, an array of birds took into the sky, escaping the threatening voice from below. Kagome tilted her head and winced. "Oops, maybe that was a _bit _too loud?" she whispered to herself. _Oh well, nothing like a good scream to brighten your day. _She continued walking, even though a few mother birds who couldn't abandon their eggs seemed to glare at her. An audible sigh escaped her lips as she absently rubbed her temples. She'd been so stressed out lately. Everyone kept on pinning their troubles on her. ' Kagome! I need water!' 'Kagome! My doll's broken!' 'Kagome! The baby's wailing!' 'Kagome! Go get medicine!' "Kagome this!' 'Kagome that!' It just never ended. On top of all that, she was supposed to be finding someone who was very important in her life, but she just couldn't remember who that person was. It was just all so frustrating.

A sudden pain from her arm jerked her out of her thoughts. She glanced down. _Great. A tree scratched me. I just knew, I just knew it. _Kagome groaned in frustration. At least she would be able to find a few moments' of peace at the God tree. No more yelling, no more wailing. It was one of the only places that no one had bothered her at. Under it's large branches and protective canopy, it became similar to a second home, a haven. And best of all, it was hers and hers only. _Except I just have a feeling things aren't going my way today, so most likely, someone's going to take over my tree. _She thought bitterly, her pessimistic attitude growing.

As she pushed aside the last curtain of leaves, she came to the small clearing where the majestic tree stood. She was so relieved to see it. She could almost feel the familiar bark against her skin and the refreshing smell of sap. Slowly, she went near it, taking in all its beauty. The God tree was so ancient, yet it still stood so strong.

"Unlike a certain someone I know," Kagome spoke, referring to her grandpa, who had been all a little to depend on her lately. "Stupid grandpa using his age as an excuse so I could do his chores for him. Not like he hasn't done it before. Nooo, he'd rather be chasing imaginary demons with his stupid spells." She huffed in annoyance as she sat down on one of the tree's roots.

Her train of thought forgotten as she leaned into the tree's comforting bark. It's grooves and cracks provided an almost stress-relieving effect on her.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity, ya know," a voice said from above.

Kagome immediately stood up, as if she had been sitting on a fire. She gasped in surprise and looked above her. A red dot, indicating someone's clothing was perched on a very, very high branch up in the tree.

"Who are _you_?" she asked accusingly. She just _knew_ someone was going to take over the tree. She hated it when she was right on things like this.

"Feh." Was the casual and extremely non-committed reply.

Annoyed, she yelled back, "well sitting on a high branch that could lead to your death if it broke is the second sign of insanity ya know!"

"Feh." Was the answer again.

Peeved that someone was sitting in _her_ tree _and_ not even bothering to be polite, she yelled angrily, "You can't just accuse me of being insane and not talk back!"

"Feh."

"Well I had it! Come down here this INSTANT!" her loud voice surprised even herself. She could almost see him flinch. Good, she hoped she gave him an earache.

"Don't _you_ tell me what to do, _wench!_" he threatened back, glaring at her. Or, at least she thought he was glaring. She couldn't really make out his face this far away.

"Why you…you, you arrogant bastard! Sit! Sit! Sit!" her eyes went wide openand sheinstantly placedher hands over her mouthrealizing that she hadn't just those words since her childhood, when that _someone_ was in her life. _If only I could remember! _Then, her eyes opened even wider at what happened next. The person fell right through the branches and landed rather painfully on the ground, face down. She almost laughed if the fall hadn't been fatal. Horrified at what she had done, she rushed over to check if he/she was still alive.

The person groaned as he/she attempted to sit up.

"A-are you okay?" she asked gingerly, afraid to see a bloody, smashed up face.

"No, I just fell like what, 12 stories and you ask me if I'm _okay. _What do you think!"

"Well, excuse me for being concerned. Maybe it should've been higher so that rude mouth of yours would be-' she stopped mid sentence as she stared face to face with the person. _God. _He had the most gorgeous face she'd ever seen with amber eyes so mesmerizing that she couldn't even finish her sentence. His features were beyond handsome and so perfect that words failed to describe it. And his silver hair shone in the sunlight. When she looked up a little, she noticed two dog-like ears twitching slightly. _God. _They were so cute.

He stared back, surprised too. She wasn't that bad looking. In fact, she could be described as beautiful. Her chocolate brown eyes and those two full lips captured his full attention. Suddenly, it struck him that maybe she was the one he was looking for? But as he took a glance at her hair, he was immediately disappointed. Her hair was slightly reddish, not raven, not the color of the person he was supposed to find.

A bird screeched somewhere nearby in a tone that he could've swore was despising. The sound reached their ears and they crashed back to reality. They looked away, blushing that they were so close and staring so openly. The boy stood up and started to leave. He didn't even glance back.

"Wait!" Kagome yelled, as she stood up to follow him.

"What do you want now, wench," he asked in a 'go away now' tone.

"Um, I just wanted to apologize for being rude earlier," she replied politely, desperately trying to calm her rapid pulse. He smelled really good and it was taking effect on her.

"Okay, so you apologized. Feel better now? Go away," he simply stated.

Kagome stopped walking in disbelief. _Could he get any ruder? _She was just about to turn and leave like he so pointedly stated but then changed her mind.

"You're not from around here, are you?" she questioned when she caught up again.

"No. So?" he replied in that bored voice of his again. He didn't even look at her. Instead, he just kept on walking.

"Well, then what are you doing here?" she hoped she didn't sound accusing.

"None of your business, wench," he quickened his pace a bit.

"Stop calling me that! My name's Kagome, not wench! Got that!" Every nerve in her body stood up in annoyance. No one had affected her this way and she didn't like it.

"Feh."

"Look, I just want to know, okay? Humor me," she tried again.

He purposely snapped a tree branch back at her as he went on. He went on, ignoring her.

"Just tell me, please?" she tried once again. _Is he deaf or something?_

The boy suddenly whirled around, glaring in a very powering way. "If you really must know, I'm searching for someone, okay? Now Go. Away." Then, he whirled back and walked on. Kagome didn't take the obvious hint and kept following. She didn't know what, but something about him intrigued her and she wanted to know.

"Oh, really. You know, I'm searching for someone too," she offered hopefully.

"Boo. Hoo."

Kagome decided to ignore that. "I can't remember who that person is, but he, I think it's a he, anyway, he was really important to me."

"Uh huh."

She decided to ignore that too. "You know what else? He used to fall face down whenever I said 'sit' too, except he seemed to have black hair, not silver." There was a loud crash behind her that told her that her silent companion was no longer beside her. "Oops." Then, she had an idea. Her eyes gleamed wickedly as she walked on instead of turning back to see if he was okay.

"Hey! What'ya do that for!" he yelled

"Nothing."


	2. Chapter 2

**New Acquaintance**

"What d'ya mean _nothing_!" he yelled indignantly.

Kagome kept her head high, vision straight and muttered absently, "Nothing."

He frowned and cursed under his breath. "You already said that, _wench, _now, answer me!" He had hoped that the rude name would knock her out of her current attitude.

"Keh," she muttered once again, not even bothering to glance his way once.

The boy was in near panic now. Not only that, but he was irritated to Hell. Quickly, he stepped in front of her with the help of his demon speed and stopped her in her tracks. Placing two hands on her arms, he forced her to look at him and to his surprise, he saw that she was smirking rather victoriously. Confused, he dropped his hands and stared at her.

Kagome laughed at this and smiled normally once more. "Didn't like a taste of your medicine, eh?" she questioned genuinely.

The silver haired boy glanced down ashamedly, and answered rather reluctantly, "No, not really." A gloomy look spread across his handsome features as he rapidly turned around to hide it. Hidden behind the curtain of silvery hair, he hung his head and remained silent.

Kagome smiled kindly and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. The action caused him to turn around in surprise, and he gazed straight into the bright smiles of the girl. Kagome's twinkled as she revealed that lovely smile of hers. The boy couldn't help but feel happier.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm still here, remember?" she reassured him soothingly.

At this, he remembered his stuck up attitude again and snorted. "So?" he asked contemptuously.

But Kagome didn't even flinch at his rude if not hurtful words. She kept on offering that sweet smile of hers as she lifted her hand off his shoulder to be placed at her side once more. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, enjoying the fresh morning air now that she was calm enough to do so. Her whole entire figure was at peace with the surroundings, including him. He was not only puzzled by the girl in front of him, but also intrigued by her gently nature. All of a sudden, he wanted to know more about her, who she was, where she had come from, everything. His heart thudded rapidly in his chest as he stared at the beautiful features of the girl. No one had ever made him feel like this before. It was almost as if a little piece of him was restored somehow.

Kagome turned to walk back towards the direction they came in. He quickly fell in step beside her. She didn't object. Instead, she turned her head to look at him through those warm brown eyes of hers.

"Let's start over again, hm?" she asked with grin.

"Uh, ok, sure," he muttered, his gaze fixed on her beautiful face.

"Great!" she exclaimed excitedly, as if getting to know him was the world's greatest thing. It made him feel kind of warm inside. He smiled one of his rare smiles at her, feeling happy for the first time in a long while. "My name is Kagome Higurashi, what's yours?" she glanced at him expectantly.

"Inuyasha Taisho," he said somewhat shyly. It was a name so many had turned down in disgust and disdain. It was a name so many had spat out with such venom that it made even he cringe. He braced himself for anything mean or spiteful to reach his soft ears.

He was surprised once more.

"Inu-yasha," Kagome sounded out his name slowly, as if savoring it. "That's a nice name, Inuyasha. I'm glad I met you!"

He couldn't answer because he was so surprised and stunned at her different behavior. No one had ever said his name with such kindness before. Well, almost no one, but that was his mother, and it was long in the past that he had almost all but forgotten it.

"Hey, Inuyasha?" she asked hesitantly.

Inuyasha shook his head slightly, trying to rid himself of that sappy, dopey feeling. "Ya, what?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could tell me more…more about that person you are searching for?"

He brushed aside a branch so that she could walk through. He was rewarded with another stunning smile. It made him feel really good inside. The trees offered cooling shade and the birds were chirping cheerfully once more, deciding that the threat of the loud yelling was over. He sighed before answering, "Well, what do you want to know?"

"Everything, I guess. Who that person is, what does that person look like, you know, anything."

"Well," he said again, and then paused, thinking of how to explain. "She was really beautiful, when I remembered her anyway, and she had the sweetest smile. I don't really remember much, just a kind of an instinct, an impression I guess. She was special to me, and I to her. And then one day, she just vanished out of my life, and I never saw her again. I guess it was for some reason, but she didn't even say goodbye. I guess I miss her, I guess…" he trailed off.

Again, Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay to feel sad, Inuyasha. We all do. It's nothing to be ashamed of," she soothed.

Inuyasha looked down and nodded obediently. The last person who said that to him was his mother, back when she was still alive. And, somehow, when Kagome said it, it made him feel as if being sad was a good thing again. No longer something to be mocked at as a weakness or a petty emotion. Inuyasha nodded again, not knowing what to say.

Kagome frowned for a moment as she secretly studied his sad profile. _He's surrounded by such sadness and sorrow. And…pain. I wonder what happened to him. _She thought to herself. In a way, it pained her to see him so sad. "Hey," she called softly, shaking his shoulder. He turned to look at her. "We can look for her together, would you like that?" she offered softly.

Again, her actions compelled him. He didn't know why she was being so kind. He was all but dead rude to her, and she wants nothing but see him happy. It was the strangest effects. "I guess so, but why would you do that?" He paused uncertainly. "Why would you do that for…me?"

Kagome just smiled once more. "Because I think you're lonely, and you need a friend. We all do."

Inuyasha smiled despite himself.

"Plus, I'm looking for someone too, and we can look together, right?"

"Ya, we could," he repeated softly.


End file.
